Improvement in the treatment of hides and skins



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, OF WOBUR N, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,925, dated February15, 1859.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, 0t Woburn, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Process of Pressing Hides and Skins Preparatory toStuifin g them with Grease; and I do hereby declare that the same isfully described in the followin g specification.

My invention is an improvement on the improvement in currying leatherfor which Letters Patent of the United States of America, numbered16,573, were granted to me on the10th day of February, A. I). 1857. Myinvention so patented consisted in employing a press, as stated in thespecification, previous to and in connection with the application of theoil or grease by a peg-lined cylinder or other equivalent means, thepress serving to remove the tan-liquor from and compact the hide, thepeglined cylinder subsequently restoring orplumping the hide andimpregnating it with grease. In carrying out the said invention aspatented the hides were taken from the tan vat, and while they were in awet state were put into a powerful press, like a cotton or cider press,and there subjected to pressure to such extent as to expel from themmuch, if not all, the moisture or liquid contained in them.

I have found that although a press will operate to excellent advantagein freeing a pack of hides from most of the liquor, yet, as thedirection of the pressure is nearly vertical, much of the liquor willremain in the hides along or near to and in their outer edges, andwhether the hides be pressed in a box or between a bed and platen only.Owing to the irregular shape of the outer edge of a hide, it isimpossible to bring'its entire outer edge into contact with the sides ofa press-b'ox when such is used, and even when the edges are overlappedby other hides they still retain the moisture and require to be exposedmore or less to either heat or atmospheric desiccation to prepare themfor the striding part of the process.

In order to facilitate the expression of the tan-liquor, or prevent itfrom collecting and remaining in the edges of the hides, and expel ituniformly from all parts of the hide during the process of pressing thehide, I pack in contact with each edge or part of the hide in whichliquor would be likely to remain dry scraps of hide or cotton waste, orany other suitable material which will absorb the liquor during thepressing process and abstract it from such edges and parts. I have foundthis ad Tition .to the pressing process to be of very g1 advantage.

In preparing a mass of hides for being compressed, I usually place thehides in a box or frame made without any bottom or top, such frame beingsupposed to be deposited on the bed of the press. During the process oflaying one hide upon another I closely ram or pack against its edges andbetween the same and the inner surface of the frame, or against suchparts of it as may be necessary, the absorbent material. This I carry onduring the process'of filling the frame, and after theframe has beensufliciently supplied with hides it may be raised upward on the mass soas to allow more hides to be laid in the heap and packed with theabsorbent matters. After the heap has been made of the requiredthickness the press should be put in operation so as to compress themass. On removal of the hides they will be found to have the tan-liquoruniformly expelled from them, the edges being as dry as the other partsof them. In this way the process of treating the hide or preparing 'itfor being stuffed with grease is very much facilitated.

What I claim is-- The above-described improvement on myhereinbefore-mentioned patented process of treating hides, or, in otherwords, I claim, in combination with the application and use of a pressin connection with the impregnation of the hide with grease by apeg-lined cylinder or any equivalent means, the enqiloyment of scraps ofhide or other suitable absorbents in the press and against the edges andother necessary parts of the hides, and so as during the operation ofthe press to absorb the liquor from such edge or parts on or in which itwould be likely to remain, as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 1st day ofSeptember, A. D. 1857.

JOSEPH ARMSTRONG. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, I. P. HALE, Jr.

